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Monday, October 6, 2014

Movie Review: Annabelle

IMDB Storyline: John Form (Ward Horton) has found the perfect gift for his expectant wife, Mia (Annabelle Wallis) - a beautiful, rare vintage doll in a pure white wedding dress. But Mia's delight with Annabelle doesn't last long. On one horrific night, their home is invaded by members of a satanic cult, who violently attack the couple. Spilled blood and terror are not all they leave behind. The cultists have conjured an entity so malevolent that nothing they did will compare to the sinister conduit to the damned that is now... Annabelle.

Real Story: Annabelle is based on a true story. The real Annabelle doll is the classic Raggedy Ann doll with the red yarn hair. According to the Warrens, (remember The Couple from The Counjouring) it is inhabited by an “inhuman spirit,” and there is a warning on the glass case not to touch. The real-life Annabelle story began in 1970 when a 28-year-old nurse received the Raggedy Ann doll as a birthday gift from her mom. She put the rag doll on her bed and began to notice it changing positions. A leg would be crossed, or the doll would be lying on its side. Then the girl and her roommate began to find parchment paper on the floor with written messages, such as, “Help me, help us.” They had no parchment paper in the house. The doll began appearing in different rooms and at one point appeared to be leaking blood. According to the Warrens the doll wanted to possess a human host. The Warrens took possession of the and keep it in a locked case in their museum.

My Thoughts: The movie while fun was not that scary. It did not have the moments that made you jump as you should. Frankly I was more afraid of the sowing machine than the doll. I must admit I am confused why anyone would collect these dolls. They look scary and were often made with human hair (of children that passed away in extreme cases). When you move these type of the dolls the wooden parts of them squeak and clank with making the creepiest noises that cause you to shiver. Frankly all those dolls should be salted and burned.

One thing that made me mad about this movie was the character Evelyn played by Alfre Woodard. It was your typical Magical Negro character. If you are unaware of this term look it up and you will realize what I am talking about. As always the Magical Negro helps the story and main character but frankly I needed more from this movie. I love horrors but I would recommend renting this one. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.